The Great Switch
by Kes Quest
Summary: What do you get when you take an overprotective waterbender, an emotional prince, and a jealous Avatar?  Hilarity of course.  So please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

The Great Switch

This is a recreation and a clean up of a collaboration done on If you would like to read the original go to BSG forum and look for the ship topics, and enjoy.

Because this was originally done on a forum I've tried to keep the feel the same. The different forum posts are separated by either – or ZKZKZK This should help with the confusion.

Disclaimer: I don't own Zuko, Aang, Katara, or any of the other avatar characters. I also don't own this story. It belongs to the people who created it on BSG, and it is put here with approval of them and BSG herself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Aang had managed to slip away from Katara for a few minuets. It wasn't that he was trying to avoid her or anything. But she had been mother hening him to death. He knew that he had had a close call with Azula but really did she have to be with him during his every waking moment?

He wanders into a unique shop filled with potions. He goes to a shelf that has a lot of odd colored potions and laughs at the wired reflected shapes he saw in them. "Maybe I should get one of these for Sokka."

--

Azula was unusually bossy today and Zuko felt the need to get away for a while. Wandering the streets he saw a shop that reminded him of Iroh. Feeling slightly guilty at the remembrance of his Uncle he decided to go in and peruse the store.

"Maybe I should get him something for the trip home." He muttered to himself as he picked up a random bottle and looked at it quizzically. "What _is_ this stuff?" He sniffed the pungent bottle cork and quickly put it back down. "I hope that's not tea."

--

Aang continued wandering around the shop and accidentally bumped into someone. Before he could apologies he heard a crash.

--

Zuko drops the bottle when bumped into and it crashes into a colorful sizzling puddle. "Hey watch it! yo..'" Zuko's eyes widen as he realizes who it is. "The Avatar!? "

As Zuko grabs Aang, the contents of the spilt bottle poof into a cloud of smoke blocking out all light and sound.

--

Aang's eyes grow wide as he recognizes Zuko. Then he starts to cough and he gets a little light headed. He passes out on the floor knocking some more bottles off the shelf in the process.

Unknown to Aang his soul leaves his body and hovers for a second before moving into Zuko's

--

Zuko felt himself get lighter and passed out on the floor unknowingly now in Aang's body.

--

Katara was looking frantically around the market for Aang. "Where could he have gone? He knows that he shouldn't wander off with out telling me. What if he got caught by a fire nation patrol?" _Ok so that isn't very likely but still, he should have snuck off._

Just then she hears a loud crash from a nearby shop. When she turns to look she sees different color smoke billowing out of the building. As she gets closer she hears a familiar cough. "Aang!"

She makes her way into the shop and spots Aang and Zuko on the floor. Her eyes grow wide with concern. She droops down next to the two boys to make sure that they are both alive. Once that concern has been addressed she quickly looks around for an escape route, and spots the open back door.

She gathers Aang in her arms the best way she can and makes it out the back door with the unconscious boy. As they leave she spots an angry looking old lady, who she assumes to be the proprietor. "um ... the young man in there will pay for all of this. He's a ... um ... friend of ours."

She sees the old woman raise her eyebrow in disbelief. But if she didn't believe Katara's story she didn't say anything. Katara assumed that it didn't matter much to the shopkeeper as long as she got compensation from someone for her destroyed shop.

--

Aang's head was spinning, and he let out a groan. "What happened?"

Just as Aang was about to get up he hears some one approaching him. He looks up to see an old lady with her arms crossed. "Well I hope you can pay for this young man. Your friends certainly said you could."

"Friends? Wait was one of them a pretty girl with long brown hair in a braid and water tribe cloths? " Aang managed to get to his feet as he asked his question and was surprised to see that the old woman was shorter then him.

"As a matter of fact she was. And she took your bald headed friend with her." The woman glares up at him. "Now about the damage to my shop!"

_Bald headed friend?_ This woman wasn't making any since. He was the only Bald headed friend Katara had. He was about to explain this to the woman when he caught his reflection in one of the potion bottles that had managed to survive. He blinks twice then squeaks out. "I'm Zuko?" Then he promptly faints.

The old woman just looks down at the young prince and shakes her head. "Young people." She starts mumbling about how they had no manners anymore as she starts to clean up the shop around the unconscious body of the prince.

--

Zuko was too disoriented to realize what was happening as Katara led him by the hand out of the shop.  
"What's going on?" He groaned, finally coming back to his senses when hearing Katara talk excitedly about something some distance from the shop.

"Wait-! What do you think you're doing!? " Zuko took his hand out of Katara's and stopped walking, not yet realizing that he was Aang had switched bodies with him. "Are you mad? Where do you think you're taking me!?—" Realization dawns on Zuko that something strange has happened, as he hears his own voice.

_Why does my voice sound like... The Avatars? _Looking at his hands he saw t he blue markings of the tattoos and he felt his eyes grow wide. He looked up at Katara as panic grabbed hold of his better judgment.  
"WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ME??!!"

--

Katara turns around when Aang pulls his hand out of hers and looks down at him with concern. "Aang are you alright?" She puts a hand on his forehead to check for a fever.

"You don't seem hot. ... Come on we have to get back to the others and tell them that Zuko is here. We'll talk about what happened at the shop when we are safe." Katara takes a hold of Aang's hand again and starts walking gently pulling him with her.

--

Zuko watches in shock as Katara actually shows concern on his behalf. "What? No I have to go back! My-- I left something.. Important in that shop!" He turned as if to run back, but Katara's gentle grip turned to that of an iron vice. "Hey what are you doing? Let me go! "

--

Katara turns around and looks Aang right in the eyes. "What ever you left there we will replace. What we can't replace is you." She wraps her arms around Aang's small frame and rests her head on his for a moment. "What we can't replace is you."

She lets him go and tries not to look at him as tears are starting to form in her eyes and she must be strong. After all it is her job to protect her _"little brother"_ Aang from the Fire Nation, and more specifically Zuko. "We'll go back to camp. ... and if Toph agrees I will go back with her to pick up whatever you left behind alright. But there is no way you are going back there."

"I won't be long before that untrustworthy, ungrateful hog monkey of a prince wakes up and decides to come after us". Her voice gets more and more harsh and angry as she insults Zuko and she starts to drag Aang off not realizing how ruff she is being in her anger.

--

Zuko nearly has a heart attack as Katara pulled him into a hug and found himself speechlessly looking up into her eyes. _I never realized he was this much shorter then her before. _Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he felt himself scowl at Katara's "hog monkey prince" remark.

"Are you really that mad at me- uh.. I mean, Zuko?" He found himself asking as he was tugged along like a child.

--

Katara continues to drag Aang back towards the camp. She tries to think of an answer to Aang's question and doesn't notice his slip up. "because ... if it weren't for him. We could have beaten Azula! then she wouldn't have hurt you."

Her voice got darker and more filled with a mixture of hatred and regret. "We didn't need his help all he had to do was stay out of it. If only I hadn't ..." She lets out an angry growl "If I knew he was going to do that I would have frozen his but to a wall!"

They turn the last corner and Katara starts taking the dirt path that will lead in ten minuets to their camp.

--

"Yeah.. I guess he would have deserved that for trying to _trick_ you". Zuko said dryly, not even considering whether Katara had told Aang what had happened between them in the caves or not. She seemed fond of the Avatar, so of course she would have told them.

He sighed and couldn't help the jab of guilt he felt as she talked with such regret and anger towards him.  
_I guess I'm not going to get out of this right away. _Zuko gritted his teeth thinking about how each step took him farther away from his body, but he was too afraid of what Katara would do to him if she found out what had happened to them at the moment.

He allowed Katara to take him back to their camp and hoped that Aang would remember where he had camped and come for his own body. _I wonder if I can even Fire bend in this body yet._

_--_

Katara in fact had not told Aang about what happened in the cave between her and Zuko. It would force her to try to straighten out her the jumble of feelings she had had on that day. Not the least of which was a mixture of intense guilt and relief that she hadn't healed Zuko, guilt because she had wanted to help him and had failed. Relief because she still had the water to use on Aang.

"How did you ... "she tails off as she realizes that Aang has to just be making a guess and she still wasn't ready to talk about it. "Let's not talk about Zuko. It will only cause us to turn emo and have permanent scowls upon our faces."

They walk in silence into the empty camp. She raises her hands to her mouth and calls. "Sokka! Toph! Kuei!"  
They wait for a bit, but nothing happens. She turns towards Aang. "They must still be out gathering supplies."  
Just as she finishes speaking a large thing could be heard approaching them through the woods.

--

Zuko already had a deep scowl etched on his face by the time Katara suggested they stop talking about him.  
_Toph? Who's that?_ Zuko got a little nervous thinking how he's going to fool them into thinking he's really Aang. "How long am I going to have to do this?" He groaned to himself, as Katara stopped suddenly, and the Noise from the bushes became louder and closer.

Zuko instinctively got into a protective stance and tried to identify where it was coming from when something jumped out and right on top of him. "Agggh!! What is it?? Get it off!!" Zuko pried the creature away from his head and gave it a dry look recognizing it to be the Avatar's lemur. _What's this things name again?_ Zuko grimaced realizing he would have to deal with Aang's _pets_ as well.

Just then an equally startling sound to Zuko happened, as Katara started giggling. Zuko couldn't help himself stare at her in amazement as she smiled and patted the lemur on the head. She seemed so completely different then any other time he had been alone with her. So... carefree. He had only ever seen Katara when she was angry or screaming at him, even _crying_. But never had he seen her smiling as she was just now. Looking so,... Happy.

Zuko felt a smile growing on his face too, until something heavy pushed him down to the ground from behind, and began licking the back of his head fondly.

--

Katara's giggles became full blown laughter when Basco tackles Aang from behind and starts licking his head. Basco looks up at Katara and gives her a grin. She reaches behind his ear and scratches it. "Aww, Kuei and the others left you behind huh?" Basco grunts and gives Katara his lost little cub look, and she giggles again. "Don't worry we're not going to leave you alone so you can let Aang up."

Basco licks Aang's head one more time then lets him up, but gives him the same lost cub look, hoping to get petted by Aang as well. Katara continues to giggle and absent mindedly stokes Momo. "I don't think he's going to leave you alone until you great him properly."

--

Zuko wiped the back of his surprisingly smooth head and thought that he would rather stay far away from the bear, but realized Katara was probably right, and patted him on the head stiffly. "Good... Bear."

He looked up at Katara nervously wondering if she noticed he didn't call the bear by name. He shuffled from foot to foot careful not to make eye contact in case she would suddenly realize. Zuko was feeling very paranoid, and more then paranoid, he was feeling fidgety. ... And itchy.

But that may have had something to do with the hive of fire ants he had fell on. "Aggh!!! Hot!Hot!Hot!Hot!Hot!" He pulled off his shirt and ran around in circles stomping on it. _This is Definitely not my day._ He though ruefully, biting his lip to keep from screaming.

--

Katara blinks a few times at Aang as he takes off his shirt and starts running around. As the shock wares off she begins to laugh, then she bends a spout of mountain water (AKA very very cold) from the creak that is next to the camp. She bends it around Aang so that when she lets it start to hit him it also pushes him back towards the creek.

Once the boy is safely in the creek she starts to bends the cold water into a wave and lets it gently fall over him. When she's done she is still giggling a little as she addresses him. "How's that? All the ant's gone?"

She giggles again and turns and walks to her sleeping area. She starts to take off her shoes then her outer robe.

--

Zuko thought he was done for sure when Katara started to bend the wave at him, bracing himself before it hit, but it wasn't meant as an attack, and Zuko could feel himself slip into the water with the relief from more then just a lack of fire ants. "Yeah, that's much better. Err, Thanks Pea-- Katara!" The first time he had actually called her name. Somehow it didn't feel right coming from Aang's mouth. Zuko dunked his mouth underwater and let the bubbles rise to the surface before starting to head out.

"I'm going to be sopping wet all day now unless the avatar has some spare clothes." He started to come ashore when he saw Katara taking off her outer robe and promptly turned around back in the river, intent on fighting a blush. "Sorry!" He shouted in the wrong direction, sure that he had accidentally seen Katara undressing.

--

Katara finishes undressing then turns around to face Aang. She is in her normal undergarments that she is always in when she is training Aang or when she just wants to get some practice in herself. She cocks her head to the side as she takes a step towards the blushing Aang. "Sorry for what?"

She was starting to get worried. Aang hadn't been acting like himself ever since she had found him in that shop. Deciding that he would talk to her when he was ready, she places a hand behind her back so that Aang can't see. With it she starts to bend a water whip and playfully snaps it at the water next to the boy. "Come on and show your Sifu what you have learned, that is if you are up to it," She taunts.

--

Zuko had just managed to stop blushing when he turned around to face Katara hearing her voice, and saw what she was wearing. Zuko could feel his skin turn beet red as Katara took a step even closer and he fought the urge to back off and run away.

"I er thought that--! I saw.. that is... " Thourouly tongue-tied, Zuko stared at his hands in the water to avoid looking at Katara, so he didn't even notice what she was doing until the water whip splashed the water directly in front of him. Zuko jumped.

_Uh oh. Not good._ Zuko thanked his lucky stars that Iroh had started showing him even the _slightest_ in Water bending moves, yet somehow he doubted they would work, even in the Avatar's body. Unfortunately, Zuko's competitive nature caught up with his mouth before His brain could.

"Of course I'm up to it." He smirked, even as he was thinking, "_What was that?!!! I don't know waterbending! What am I going to do? I have to get out of this before she discovers what happened and kills me." _Zuko got into a stance and somehow kept from looking intimidated.

--

Katara watches as Aang's face turns many different shades in just a small amount of time. But she decides it must be lingering effects from recovering from Azula's attack. She makes a note not to let this session last long and to go a little easy on him. _Interesting, Aang normally likes to go with the octopus. Says it fits his nature better. But now it looks like he's going for the double whips._

Katara smirks slightly, for this was a form she most definitely was good at, and truly she hadn't had much practice with it. Well if you don't count the fighting in the cave. ... But then again she couldn't beat Zuko, so that just proved that she needed more practice with it.

Katara swings one water whip at Aang's middle, and does spin so that the other will follow the first one and from the same side. _Well attacking from he same side will have to be lenient enough_

_--_

Zuko could see the water whip come towards him as if in slow motion, he felt paralyzing slow and he overcompensated his defense, and with an aggressive jerk through the water, he unintentionally sent a huge wave of water onshore.

His eyes got wide as he realized he was bending water, _especially_ that much. Zuko was too busy gaping at his mistake and triumph that he didn't notice Katara's next moves. "Did-- I do that?"

--

It took a moment for Katara to adjust to Aang's attack. She had expected him to try to deflect her own then attack her in a similar way. She almost waited to long, but she managed to use the momentum of the wave to make it come back around and head straight for Aang.

She had been to busy trying to catch the wave that she hadn't heard Aang's question. She also neglected to notice that the wave that she had piggybacked from Aang's attack had grown half again as big as it started to crash. Her eyes widened as she realized that it was most likely going ta sweep up Aang ad possibly herself. "oops"

--

Zuko snapped out of his awe long enough to realize he was in big trouble, size of a tidal wave kind of big.  
He didn't even have time to turn around before the wave Katara was riding back on him swept him up and into the water, that carried him out of the river and back onto the opposite shore from their camp.

_Ugh, I'm never gonna do that again._ Zuko slowly pulled himself up from the ground, which he noticed was incredibly soft and warm, ... And breathing. Zuko quickly opened his eyes and saw that he had landed on top of Katara.

"Agh!" Zuko scrambled off of her quicker then a fire ant. He breathed heavily and looked down at Katara, she seemed to be breathing, if unconscious. "Katara? Katara are you alright?" He shook her arm a bit to rouse her, wondering if she had gotten a concussion or swallowed too much water.

For some reason he started to feel incredibly guilty. Zuko found himself wondering why his conscience seemed to be bothering him so much these days, as he anxiously hovered over Katara.

--

Katara coughs up a little water after Aang scrambles off of her. Then she meekly smiles up at the boy. "I guess I over did it a bit huh?" Her hair is now a mass of wild wet untamed hair. She stands up and wrings it out with her hands. Once she is done she flips it over her shoulders and whips her head back and forth trying to get even more moister out of it.

She looks around the shore area that they had landed on and found a large stump. She crosses over to it and takes a seat. "I think we might need to re think our strategy." She giggles a little then pats the stump in a gesture for Aang to come sit down next to her.

--

Zuko let out a breath he didn't know he was holding when Katara sat up seemingly fine. "No it was my fault. I didn't mean to push a wave at y—" Zuko broke off somehow finding it impossible to look away from Katara, and ten times more impossible to stop thinking this was the strangest he had ever felt around her. Ever.

He shook it off as he realized she was saying something, and gesturing him to come sit by her. Zuko felt a little odd about that, almost as if she was treating him like a child. _I wonder... Perhaps the Avatar hasn't really been all that up front with her, about... Everything. _Zuko sat down next to her nonetheless, and tried very hard not to zone out again.

--

Katara notices Aang shiver slightly, and frowns. "Here, let me... " She stands up for a moment and takes a deep breath. Wither her hands spread out before her she bends all the water out of Aang's cloths. Once he is dry she does the same thing for herself. Then she gives her a smile that is somewhere between that of a mother and a best friend. "There I bet that's better."

Just then the wind blows which causes some of the last blossoms of the season to fall off the trees. Her eyes grow distant and she says softly, "I guess spring is truly about to end."

--

Normally, Zuko would have steam-dried himself, and he had no doubt the Avatar could dry himself with air bending as well. Yet for some reason, Katara did it for him. As if he was an invalid, yet Zuko felt no physical discomfort or problems in Aang's body. Not necessarily out of physical concern, no, this felt more like...

Zuko's thoughts went back to the cave, and what had happened. The healing water, her hand gently, yet confidently placed over his scarred face, and then the Avatar came in, and interrupted everything.  
Zuko scowled. He remembered Iroh holding him back, his anger at seeing his own Uncle come in with the Avatar, and at seeing Katara leave with him. And then there was the heated looks Aang and he had exchanged.

Zuko went over that feeling over and over again. He looked at Katara and frowned in his concentration. He was sure that Aang had not given him that look for a different reason then he had. _What was my reason anyway? _Zuko felt himself blush again and gulped. He knew what the Avatar felt towards_ her_.  
What he wasn't sure of, was how Katara felt towards the_ Avatar_.

"Katara, do you like Aa- Do you like me?" Zuko blurted out. He blushed immediately afterwards. _What was that? What's wrong with me today?_ Zuko groaned and couldn't bear to look at Katara, he felt so stupid.

--

Katara blinks at Aang's question and there is a moment of nothing but the blowing of the wind. The she smiles at him in her motherly/best friend kind of way. "Of course silly, your my best friend." She leans over and gives him a quick hug.

When she releases him her face shows a little concern. "You aren't going to tell me to go away? That is all way to dangerous for me? Because if you do ...". Her eyes began to fill with hurt with a mixture of anger.

--

Zuko tensed as Katara hugged him. He wasn't expecting that of all answers. But at the same time, he found himself relieved. _Why am I so relieved? ... Not good. _Zuko took Katara's hand and looked at her concerned.  
"I'm not trying to send you away." Then he smirked a bit and sat back.

"Somehow, I don't think I could anyway. You'd never abandon me, would you?" Zuko felt sick about that. For some reason, he knew it was completely true. He found himself thinking about Iroh. He forced himself to keep smiling anyway, to try and make Katara feel better. He didn't want her to worry.

--

Katara laughs, "You bet, wild horse-roo's couldn't keep me from coming after you. That and if you didn't have me that would leave just Toph to deal with Sokka's constant winning, which would mean I wouldn't have a brother anymore, just a pile of mush underneath a rock."

She removes her hand from Aang's and stands up, "Speaking of Sokka and Toph ... I wonder where they are ..." She bites her lip "...We still have to tell them about earlier. "

--

Zuko laughed out loud at the mention of Sokka's whining. But that quickly died down at the thought of meeting the others. "What do you mean?"

Zuko had no idea what he should do. If they found out, they would probably pack up and fly away on the Bison. He found himself panicking at the idea of them picking up and leaving his body far behind. "No, I don't think we should tell them." Zuko said nervously standing up, trying to come up with a good reason why.

--

Katara turns around and looks at Aang like he's insane. "Are you insane?! Zuko is in the village. And if we know one thing about him it's that he'll never give up!" She starts to pace and wring her hands, "That means he'll comb the woods for us."

There is worry in her voice though most of it is irrational. Zuko shouldn't be able to find them. Sokka had found the perfect place to camp. It was impossible to find if you didn't know the way. ... but that didn't stop her from worrying.

Ever since the incident in the caves, Katara would become anxious whenever anyone brought up the subject of Zuko. Usually she covered it by blowing up and calling the banished prince names. ... but she had already exhausted her ran. So instead she whispers "I ... I just can't lose you again ... not to him ..."

--

Zuko watched Katara's outburst slightly annoyed with his situation. _I can't stay like this. I have to get her to stay long enough so that Aang can find us with my body! _Zuko grabbed Katara firmly by the wrists and looked her in the eye, slightly annoyed remembering the last time he did this he could look _down_ into her face. "Katara, calm down! We're very safe in these woods. I don't think Zuko even knows we're in here, he'll probably assume that we're going to leave now that he's seen me anyway. We'll be fine! Trust me."

Zuko could only hope Katara would listen to him. But he was sure that wouldn't be enough unless he did something to insure they stay. Zuko appealed to her the only way he knew would work, "And Katara, ... I didn't want to say anything, but I haven't been feeling... So good. I think I need a day, _just a day_ to rest at camp." He stared at his feet, unable to lie to her eager worried face. "But if you're _really_ concerned about Zuko, if you _really_ think he can find us, we'll leave." Zuko ignored the knot of guilt cramping his stomach as he lied straight to Katara's face.

--

Katara looks down into Aang's eyes, and mistakes his guilt about lying to her for not feeling well. She sniffs one more time then whips her eyes, "Oh Aang, I'm sorry I didn't notice before... well of course I noticed that you weren't feeling alright. But you kept insetting you were fine. But taking in how odd you've been acting and even how off that display of bending was in our match ... I know you need to rest. "

She places a hand on Aang's back and starts to lead him back over to the creek. "I suppose the first thing to do should be to get you some food and maybe some hot tea."She starts to hop across the creek on top of a few jetting stones waiting for Aang to follow.

--

Zuko winced at the idea of tea, but resisted complaining about it for now. "Thanks Katara, I knew you'd understand." He followed her over the river with his head down. _Great mess I've got myself in this time. That stupid Avatar better get here quick. _Zuko folowed Katara back to the camp in silence and sat down by the empty fire pit as Katara started preparing tea.

--

Katara hands Aang a cup of green tea. Then she starts to rummage around in the packs that are leaning up against a tree. "Now where did I put the left over's from last night...". As she is searching through one bag she manages to knock over another one and something rolls out of it.

--

Zuko took the green tea with a fake smile. _Belch. Better play this up. No telling how long I have to hold them back._ Zuko breathed on the tea to cool it and tried to sip some. To his annoyance, he found he had unconsciously frozen it with water bending. "This accidental bending is getting old pretty quick". He muttered to himself, as he noticed something had fallen out of Katara's pack.

Zuko reached down and picked up what appeared to be a scroll of some kind. Curious, Zuko opened it up and looked inside. "What's this?" He asked Katara, not realizing it was her personal journal until he saw the words _"hog-monkey prince"_ and _"spoiled fire nation brat_". Zuko scowled.

--

Katara had just found the fruit and only vaguely heard Aang. "What is what?" She turns around to see Aang holding her scroll. She drops the fruit and her face turns pale than pink with embarrassment.

She hastily walks over to Aang and takes the scroll from him. She wasn't too worried about him reading her rant about Zuko. It was the fact that during the rant she had mentioned offering to heal his scar, and that she felt strangely connected to him even now.

"This? um ... it's just a list of chores. " She pertends to read it "Number one. Clean Sokka's socks.  
Number two. Mend Sokka's socks. Number three. Mend Sokka's sleeping bag. ... well most of these are about fixing Sokka's stuff. "

ZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZK

Aang opens his eyes to see the shop keep looking down at him with a frown. "Well it's about time young man. I was thinking that I would have to close the shop with you sleeping on the floor."

Aang looks up at her confused, then recall the events of the day. His eyes go wide and he springs up. " Zuko!" He turns to the woman, "Did you see where the ... um kid with the tattoo's went to?"

The woman places a finger to her lips and contemplates the question. hmm ... "I believe a pretty young girl came in and dragged him off." Then she pokes him in the chest. "She said you were a friend and that you would pay for the damages."

Aang looks at the woman and grows embarrassed. He starts rubbing his head "Well about that you see I ..." His other hand finds its way into a pocket where there is a hefty money bag. Aang blinks in surprise as he pulls it out. "Um ... what I meant to say was ... how much?"

The woman holds out her hand Ten silver should take care of it. You broke bottle of switching potion. But luckily I was able to save some of it. Aang counts out the silver pieces and then realizes what the woman said. "Hey that is what must have happened. I'm now in Zuko's body and Zuko is in my body! ... wait that means Zuko is with Katara!"

His eyes grow wide and he runs out of the store calling over his shoulder, "Sorry I've got to go". Then he remembered he didn't have the potion with him and quickly turns around. The shopkeeper just watches the boy and raises and eyebrow at him. Aang rubs the back of his head again. "um ... how much for a dose of the switching potion?"

One silver Aang quickly pays the woman "Thanks" and then takes the potion and flees.

ZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZKZK

Zuko watched Katara lie through her teeth. She was very obvious about it. He wondered if that would have worked on the real Aang, and sighed. "It's alright, you don't have to tell me what's in there. It's none of my business. "

He stared at his frozen tea sullenly, desperately wanting to melt it with fire bending, but he had no idea if that would be a suspicious move for the Avatar or not. He wished that he could talk to Katara as himself, he wished he could fire bend his tea. Zuko was frustrated with this situation. Not just with Aang's body, but with this whole war, and "catching the Avatar" bit.

He wondered what it would be like if there was no war. Would his father have banished him? Would he be friends with people of the other nations? Would he be friends with... The Avatar? Would he be able to talk to Katara like he was now? "What would you do after the war, Katara? When all this chaos, fighting and war... Is over, what do you want to do?"

--

Katara is still stammering trying to divert attention from her diary. She almost thinks she has misheard Aang. There is an awkward moment of silence then she blinks and says. "After the war?"

She walks over next to Aang, sits down, and looks up into the sky. "I hadn't really though about it. I mean before I meet you, I was just waiting for the men to come home. Then I guess I would have married one of them. But now ... I don't know." She places her hands in her lap, and gives a small smile.

"But now I don't know. Maybe I'll travel for a while. Maybe I'll even have that dream come true." She quickly puts her hand over her moth and blushes, realizing she's said to much.

--

Zuko was taken aback by the very _idea _of Katara marrying some random water tribe schnook. He remembered just how small her village was when he first saw her there. Just the idea of her getting married to any of those frightened water peasants just felt wrong. Not that any of the boys there were anything other then... Little boys.

He looked up at her curiously. "What dream? What are you talking about?" He found himself almost smiling at her cute embarrassed expression. "You're blushing!" He pointed a finger at her reddening face, and laughed.

Remembering all of the cowering villagers behind her, around her, somehow Katara stood out from among them all. Katara and her brother were the only ones with any fighting spirit in them.  
No, he very much doubted she would have married anyone there.

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Aang was slowly walking out of the village. It wasn't that he didn't want to hurry and save Katara from Zuko. It's that he is not use to having a teenage body, much less one with out the ability to air bend.

The last part had really bugged him. If he was in his own body he would have been able to get the camp sight in no time. But this body was incapable of using the wind to help increase his speed.

So he had decided that running normally would have to suffice. But what he didn't count on was the longer legs and arms. After the second time he fell flat on his face trying to run, he had decided it was safer just to walk.

Once he finally reaches the end of the village he lets out a sigh of relife. "I'm coming Katara." He tried to pick up speed but quickly slowed down when the acing in his skinned up knees started to bother him. He had a thought in the back of his mind that Zuko might to offense at the way he was returning his body.

... but then he decided he would just have to deal with that later. Katara was his first priority.

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Katara starts to shake her head and cover up her blush, just making her blush even more. "It's nothing really." She takes a peek at Aang and sees that he isn't buying it. She lets out a sigh. "All right. It is something. ... but if I tell you you've got to promise not to tell anyone else. Especially Sokka, got it? "

She waits for Aang to nod his head. He hesitates a moment then does so. She smiles and turns towards him. "Now I'm only going to tell you because your my best friend. And I know you would never betray my trust. " She looks Aang in the eye to see his reaction, then nods as she sees what she was hoping to.

Then she giggles "It's quiet embarrassing, but when I was a little girl I use to have a reoccurring dream.  
I was older in the dream ... I guess not much older then I am now though. And I was walking down a tree lined path. The path opens up into a clearing.

In the clearing is a bubbling brook that creates a pool that is deep enough to swim in before trickling away.  
I decide to go swimming and just as I'm getting out of the pool I hear a rustlying in the woods. I turn towards the sound and there is a figure incased in shadows. The only thing I can tell about the shadow is that is male.

I call out to him, but instead of saying anything he bends down and lays down a single tiger orchid. Then he backs away. I give chase then ... "

Her face grows bright red again and she shakes her head. "Well it's just a dream."

--

Zuko raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but smile a bit as she talked about her dream. She looked so happy saying it, and hopeful. But he didn't laugh when she turned beet red, he just listened, until she stopped...

... At a place he was sure he wanted to hear more about. "No, don't stop there, Go on. Tell me the rest." Zuko prodded her for information, leaning on his elbow. "What happened next in your dream?" He smiled pleasantly at her.

--

Katara looks over at Aang, still blushing and gives a small chuckle at the look of eagerness on his face. "Well there really isn't much more. Um ... I catch up to him and he turns around to face me. I know him from some where but I could never see his face. I ask why he was following me. But instead of answering he looks away. "

She blushes again "Then ... um ...i kind of lose my temper and start yelling at him. Finally he turns around to face me ... " She sees Aang's eager face and shakes her head and looks back up into the sky.

"Then I wake up. I can't believe I even remember that dream. It's been such a long time." She whispers softly to herself not realizing that Aang might still be able to hear her. "But then again, I believe I've had it again recently. Maybe after we left Ba Sing Sei ... "

--

Zuko smirked. "Well that's interesting; I wonder why you suddenly had that dream again. After such a long time it is a little strange..." Zuko looked away from Katara's inquiring face, so as not to give the idea forming in his mind away.

"Maybe the person in your dream has actually come to life." Zuko couldn't keep himself from grinning at Katara.

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As Aang enters the forest that holds their camp, he doesn't realize the two thugs that are currently following him. Now this wasn't because his senses were any less acute in this body, but do to his own stumbling that was conveniently covering the sound of his pursuers.

He trips over a twig for the third time and lets out his frustration, "come on body. Just a little further and you can have your rightful owner again." He stands up and checks to make sure that he still had the potion. 

When he lets out a relived sigh as he touched the curved bottle that held the potion was when the two thugs attacked. The taller of the two had moved around Aang and stood in front of his with sword drawn. "Well, well what do we have here?"

Aang's eyes widen and he frowns, he's about to say something when he hears a voice from behind him. "It seems to me that he as forgotten to pay the toll Jeppi."

Aang takes a step to the side so that he can see both men out of the corner of his eyes. "Um ... sorry. But I don't have time for this right now. If you could just let me pass. "

Jeppi lets out a laugh "Did you here that Akito? He thinks we are going to let him and his heavy purse go."

Akito takes a step towards Aang "We can't have that now, can we Jeppi."

As the two men get closer Aang tries again to reason with them. "I really don't want to have to fight you guys." He tries to think "I'm the avatar. I have to get back to my friends so that we can stop the war."

Jeppi lets out another laugh and swings his sword which Aang avoids by stumbling backwards, still not use to the new length of his limbs. "Did you here that he's the Avatar. And he's got important business…" 

"Isn't the avatar supposed to be an air bender with arrow tattoos on his head"

"I think your right Akito, why don't we teach this guy not to pretend to be someone he's not ."

It was then that Aang realized his mistake that that these two were unlikely to listen to reason. He steps back into a defensive stance and gets ready to airbed.

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Katara gives Aang a look of shock that she tries to cover up with a cough and a blush. "It's just a dream nothing more." She gets up and gets some fruit and some of Sokka's dried meet. She begins to make them a small meal.

When she is done she hands Aang a plate of fruit and something that looks like porridge but that actually has a great taste. "Sorry that I couldn't have made anything bigger. If I did that Sokka would start complaining that we eat up all our supplies with out him." She lets out a small laugh and then starts on her own meal, which is just like Aang's except for half a piece of jerky.

--

Zuko stared at Katara, but didn't say anything. Instead, he turned his attention to the porridge, dubious of it's taste. Nonetheless he took a spoonful to his mouth, slowly, cautiously. Who knew what these Water people thought of as cuisine? "Mmm. Not bad."

He started to eat more vigorously, suddenly aware of how hungry he was. It must have been hours since he last ate. The sun was starting to climb down into the evening hours of the day. _I wonder how long it will take him to find this place again. He should be here soon. Stupid Avatar, when will I get my body back, and get out of here..._

He found himself staring at Katara. Staring, and thinking of impossible things. _Oh great, now I'm starting to think like the Avatar too. _He put the bowl down and walked to the edge of the camp quickly, before he paused to answer Katara's worried voice. "What's wrong?"

"... I need to stretch my legs for a bit, and think." He called behind him, somehow forgetting the fact that Katara was _extremely_ worried about him in his "unwell" state of being. There was no way she was going to let him be alone. He walked into the forest quickly... Too quickly, for a full stomach. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going. And his head was spinning with... Strange ideas.

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Akito and Jeppi close with Aang. He manages to avoid them, although it is a clumsy attempt. He gets ready to send a wind funnel at the two would be thieves, but nothing happens. "What?" 

Aang doesn't have much time to contemplate what just happened as Jeppi tackles him and Akito reaches for his purse. In anger Aang yells and fire swirls around him. The two thieves let out yelps that make them sound like twelve year old girls and take off into the woods.

Panting a little Aang straightens up, dusting off his cloths and inspecting the new cuts he has acquired. _Oh well, it isn't anything serious_ He thinks back to the circle of flame he made and smiles. "Hey that was kinda cool. I wonder how I did that."

He tries again but can't repeat the feat with the flames. Disappointed he sighs "I guess I should get to the camp. There's no telling what Zuko will do with Katara."

Images of Zuko having tied up Katara and threatening her fills Aang's mind, and he takes off in a run. He hasn't gone more then five steps when he trips yet again. Sighing he picks himself up and checks the potion bottle.

... But it's not there. "But ... Where could it be ...Oh no the thieves! " Aang is about to take after the thieves when he hears a rustle in a bush nearby "Who is there!"

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Katara watches Aang leave for a moment flabbergasted that he would just leave in his condition. Finally her brain catches up to her body and she cries out "Hey! Aang you aren't well!" and takes off into the woods after him.

She's let him have to much of a head start and stops to listen for a sign of him. Finally she hears a branch snap off to her right. "Aang?" 

A figure emerges and shoves her to the ground; she lets out a small startled scream. "Hey watch where you are going lady! "

"Jeppi we should get out of here. The girl's screams are bound to attract undesired attention."

Jeppi looks at Katara then back at his partner. "Your right. Let's get out of here before that fire bender realizes what we got." Then the two disappear into the forest.

Katara pushes herself up by her elbows and then holds one of her hands to her head "Owww ..." She gets to her feet and looks in the direction that the two men ran off in "Did they say fire bender?"

--

_Argh, what's _wrong_ with me?_ Zuko muttered to himself, as he walked deeper into the woods. He reached his hand up to his head to pull back his hair, and found he had none. He sighed and paused to look at his blue marked hands. "This can't get any weirder now. It just can't."

But Zuko was shocked out of his revelry by the sound of a familiar voice. ... A _very_ familiar voice.

"Zuko!"

"My body! "

They exclaimed simultaneously, staring at each other. Zuko was annoyed to see that his body was bruised, cut and looked like he had fallen in the mud. He scowled, and glared at Aang, making a very un-Avatar like expression on Aang's face. "Took you long enough to get here!", He said as he watched himself panting for breath.

They both jumped at the sound of Katara's scream.

"Katara?! "

"Katara?! "

Zuko shouted out, concerned, just as Aang was yelling the same. They exchanged a glare as they ran back towards the camp to find Katara.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well this is it for the first chapter. I know that both Aang and Zuko are a little out of character. I would like to think that this is due to the fact that being in the others body is having an effect on their minds and emotions. I'll post more chapters the further the ship progresses at BSG.

Please leave reviews if you like it.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar the last air bender or any of the characters, if I did Zuko and Katara would have kissed in the cave.

I also don't own this story it belongs to the and those who created it on the forum. It is being reproduced here with their permission.

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Aang was just as shocked to see Zuko as he was to see him. It was one thing to know that you are in another body quite a different thing to look at someone else in your body. He was just about to explain about the potion that could switch them back and how it had been stolen when they both heard Katara scream.

For a split second Aang felt his jealously rise, just like in the caves in Ba Sing Sei. But he puts that aside. What is important at the moment is helping Katara. He smirks a bit as his longer legs carry him past Zuko.

It took a terrifying five minuets before Aang found Katara leaning against a tree for support mumbling to herself. He stops running and holds an arm out to touch her shoulder and asks, "Katara are you alright? What happened? Did someone hurt you?"

Aang watches in horror as Katara turns to face him with a look of loathing. If it wasn't for Zuko stumbling into him, he would have found himself frozen to a tree by a very angry waterbender.

--

At first Katara had been shocked by Zuko's appearance, but shock quickly turned to anger. She reaches for her water pouch and sends a stream of water at Zuko, forcing him to back up towards a tree. She was just about to freeze the water when Aang stumbled out of the bush and right into Zuko.

She was livid, not only was Zuko here but now Aang would be venerable, seeing as he still wasn't well. She gathers up the water she had used earlier into a ball that she had Above her head. "Get out of the way Aang. I'm going to take care of him once and for all! "

--

Zuko glared at Aang's back.. or rather _his_ back all the way there. His scowl only deepened as he saw Aang reach Katara and try to help her.  
Then he saw Katara's reaction. Zuko's jaw dropped, and he felt himself slow down as he watched his body being slammed up against a tree. For an instant, he thought it served Aang right for speeding ahead, and he enjoyed seeing him water whipped. On the other hand, that was _his _body she was attacking.

_That's going to hurt later._ Zuko thought as he ran into Aang to stop Katara's next move. His body had been through enough already, Zuko thought. He would be sore for a week from the look of him, and the last thing he needed was frostbite. He panted as he stared at Katara, between his body and her wrath.

"Get out of the way Aang. I'm going to take care of him once and for all!"

Zuko gulped. It was an awkward feeling, knowing it should've been _him _she was attacking so violently. "No. I can't let you do that." He panted, looking her straight in the eye. "You have to stand down, Katara."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could've sworn he saw the Avatar flinch when he spoke her name.

--

Katara's glare softened a little as she turns her attention to who she believes is Aang. "But he's our enemy! Have you forgotten that he's chased us across the world? Or that he can't be trusted!?! " 

Her voice was shaking, it connived her mixed emotions. She was mad, felling betrayed, scared for Aang, wondering if she was doing the right thing, and confused by how strong her emotions were tied to this scared prince.

--

Zuko felt himself grow angry as Katara spoke those words. That dreaded gnawing feeling was back again, eating away at his resolve. He stared at the ground, as different emotions swelled through him.

"Of course not! But that doesn't mean we can't give him another chance! " Zuko gritted his teeth and watched Aang in his body, who stared back silently, seemingly waiting. Zuko almost felt as if he were imploring Aang as much as Katara.

He turned his face away from a speechless Aang and stared back at the confused water bender. "Look at him Katara! Doesn't he look like he needs help?"

Zuko hated Katara's next look, as he watched her look at his body. Was that _pity_ on her face? He clenched his fists tightly and stared at himself, seeing what he thought Katara saw. A wretched, pathetic banished Prince.

--

Katara looks at Zuko then back at Aang, as tears start to fill her eyes. She quickly wipes them away before either boy can see them and hangs her head. She bends the water back into her pouch

"I'm sorry." She whispers and then walks over to Zuko, and kneels down beside him "What I said was out of line. …. Here let me take a look at you." She reaches out a hand and starts to examine Zuko's scraps and bruises as he just looks at her flabbergasted.

"Well nothing life threatening but I bet they are causing some discomfort." She bends some water over her hand and begins to treat him.

--

Aang had been watching the exchange between Zuko and Katara with baited breath. Finally she calmed down and looks over at him. The look that Zuko has thought was pity Aang recognized as confusion, shame at herself, and ... something he really really hoped he wasn't seeing --- interest.

When she knelt down next to him he didn't know what to do. Her voice had the same tone, she used on Jet when they had meet up with him at Ba Sing Sei. _This is not happing, this is not happing, _He tought to himself.

He glanced over at Zuko who had a frown on his face, and gave him a most hateful glare. This was all his fault! Noticing that Katara was done healing him and still kneeling next to him he coughs, to cover up a slight blush. "Thanks." 

He stands up and walks over to Zuko trying to put as much room between him and Katara. "We need to talk" He couldn't help the jealously that creped into his voice, as he talked to his new rival.

--

Nothing could have surprised Zuko more, then seeing Katara's immediate, drastically changing reaction. From trying to _kill_ him, to actually_helping_him, and healing him, for which he was also grateful, knowing he would have less aches to deal with when he got his body back.

As he watched Katara heal his body, a little confused, he caught the Avatar's angry glare. Like so many other things today, it reminded him of their encounter in the caves. He watched Aang curiously, as he stood up and made a concentrated effort to keep him away from Katara. He couldn't help but notice the contrasting expressions on his face during Katara's healing.

Zuko walked up to Aang and grimaced. "Yes, We do." He looked past Aang to Katara and smiled reassuringly.  
"Don't worry, we'll _both_ come back in one piece." He gave Aang a meaningful glance

--

Katara stood up and looks at the two boys. "Your not going anywhere with out me!" She places her arms on her hips and dares either boy to disagree with her. 

He is so intent on glaring them down that she misses Zuko (Aang) nudging Aang (Zuko) with his foot and giving Aang a look like, you are the one who has to convince her.

--

Zuko was taken aback. He'd never seen Katara quite _this_ way before. He couldn't help but chuckle just a little as he swept past Aang and took hold of Katara's hand, looking straight into her eyes.

"Katara, I'll be right over there, okay? I mean, if he was going to try something, don't you think he would have by now?" He smiled coyly at her, and stole a glance at his heated looking face. _Wow, I didn't even know my face could get that red._

He took Katara's other hand knowing Aang was watching the whole time, and whispered just low enough that Aang couldn't hear them. "Trust me." He smiled.

--

Katara still looks worried but reluctantly nods her head. She looks over at Zuko then down at Aang. "All right but if you aren't back in five minuets, I'm coming after you." She looks back at Zuko, "And I won't go easy on you this time". She sees him straighten his back and nod. Then she watches as first Zuko then Aang disappear out of her sight.

--

Aang watches as Zuko in his body boldly takes not just one of Katara's hands but both of them. _When I get my body back the two of us are going to have to have a nice little chat _He absent mindedly balls his hands into fists, and gives Zuko his best glare.

He manages to catch himself just in time to see Katara look over and address him. He nods his head letting her know he understands and starts to walk away, knowing that Zuko will follow him.

Once he feels that they are far enough away from Katara he turns around and pokes Zuko in the chest. "What do you think you are doing with her? "

--

Zuko raised an eyebrow and pretended not to know what Aang was talking about. "I don't know what you're referring to. I was only_ talking _to her." He smirked in a friendly way, as he turned his back on Aang and walked out of poking distance.

He could feel Aang heat up in his fire bending body. "She's a very... Good person." He said a little more seriously.  
"I can see why you like her so much." He turned to look back at Aang, and sat down on a log, they might be here for a while.

--

Aang frowns then stammers unconvincingly. "I don't ... like.. her. …. She's just a friend. But so help me if you ever come near her." His eyes burn in anger and he accidentally brushes on hand where the potion use to be. He sighs and calms down a bit.

"But that isn't why I needed to talk to you." He saw Zuko roll his eyes and felt incensed, trying to force him self to be clam he too sat down on a log a little ways away from Zuko. "It was one of the potions that we broke that caused us to switch bodies. But luckily there was enough left so that we can get back into our original ones. "

--

"Well that's a relief! How do we change back? What do we have to do?" Zuko _really_ wanted his body back. There were things he had to do. He saw Aang squirm a bit at the mention of how. 

"Wait,... Don't tell me you didn't take it with you." Zuko's voice raised a bit anxiously as he started to panic.

--

Aang rubs the back of his head and let out a nervous laugh. "Well not exactly. I did bring it with me. but um ... I ran into some trouble with two thiefs. I managed to fight them off, but not before they had pick pocketed me. "

--

Zuko groaned and clutched his head. "Perfect. Just great". He glared at Aang. "You just _Had_ to lose it. How long ago did you see these thieves? " He was growing impatient with this situation.

--

Aang glares at Zuko "Hey it isn't my fault that your body is so acward!" He shifted in his seat.

"And I saw them right before I ran into you. They had run off in the direction that ..." His eyes grew a little wider "Katara ... I bet that is why she screamed. "

--

Zuko crossed his arms and glared back at Aang. "_My body_ is awkward?" Zuko scoffed. "Look who's talking oh _short _and_ bald _one". Zuko snapped at Aang.

The idea of Katara alone with two thieves stuck in Zuko's mind, and that made him short tempered. _I shouldn't have left her alone and unprotected. What was I thinking?!__  
_  
Zuko scowled at Aang, while imagining all kinds of lowlife skulking around the woods. He felt himself becoming more and more paranoid. He stood up and looked at Aang. "We have to find those thieves, and get the potion back."

He stood up and started in the direction of the camp, of Katara, completely forgetting that they  
still had to figure out _how_ to do that without Katara.

--

Aang glares at Zuko as he recognizes a look of worry cross his face. He quickly stands up. "We should get back to her, before she comes looking for us. You wouldn't want your body to get a few holes in it before it's returned. Plus maybe she will be able to give us more information about where the thieves might have gone."

--

"Maybe. Let's just get back for now." He said without turning back as he went back into the camp, half expecting to see Katara being dragged away by a mob of thieves. Instead, however, he found Katara sitting beside a tree, looking slightly agitated while playing with water bending.

He breathed a sigh of relief and blushed, suddenly remembering that a water bending _master_ of Katara's skill could handle a forest full of thieves easily, let alone a couple of pick pocketing thugs. He blushed, feeling somewhat stupid at his previous idea. He should have remembered Katara was no damsel in distress.

"We're back." He said slightly red with embarrassment.

--

At first Katara tried pacing to keep from going after the boys, but she had found that it wasn't helping her much. So she had uncapped her water skin and started to practice some bending moves. The movements start to calm her down, but it doesn't totally get rid of her worry. Every now and then she will look in the direction that the boys were, hopping that they would be back soon.

Finally after what seemed to be hours to her worried mind but which was in fact just a few minuets she saw Aang followed by Zuko walk back into camp. She stood up and had to resist the urge to hug Aang, for she didn't want to give Zuko any ammo about her not trusting him, or to show weakness in front of him.

She looks at Aang then over to Zuko and folds her arms over her chest. "Well since you've now had a chance to talk. I guess you will be leaving right? "

--

Aang looks at Katara and wonders if they are even going to be able to pull this off. He looks over at Zuko in his body and begs him with his eyes to come up with something. At the same time his jealousy at Zuko was flaring up again. As far as Aang was concerned the faster they got their correct bodies back the better. Then he would be able to protect Katara from Zuko.

--

Zuko saw Katara's torn expression darting between himself and Aang, and felt upset and triumphant at the same time. But he felt also like he had to do all the work, Aang should be able to say _something_ in his own defense. _Is he trying to make me look bad?_

Zuko coughed and rubbed the back of his head, unsure what he was going to say. "Actually, not _quite_ yet Katara". He had no idea how to convince her. Honestly he got this far through blind luck. "You see... Zuko," He resisted a flinch. "Has something he wanted to ask us... "

Saying his own name as reference to the Avatar, he had a flashback of his dream back in Ba Sing Se, during his feverish nightmare. At the time, he thought seeing himself as the Avatar was just some random dream, but now...  
_What the... Was that some kind of premonition?_ Zuko shook his head trying to clear his thoughts, as unsettling as the idea was though, he couldn't quite keep from looking as disturbed as he felt, and turned his face away from Katara to hide it.

He gave a panicked, urging look towards Aang, to say something, and quick. _Say something!_ He mouths at Aang.

--

Aang was indeed partly trying to make Zuko look bad, so that when they got their correct bodies back. The chance of Zuko stealing Katara away from him would be lessoned. But he knew that if he didn't say the right thing now, they weren't going to get back to their correct bodies anytime soon. He coughs and takes a step towards Katara.

" I ... we ... Ok you know the shop you found us in?", he watches as Katara nods her head yes and tries to ignore Zuko's rolling eyes. "Well just as we had the accident in the shop, two thieves came in and made use of the distraction to steal a valuable potion. The woman of the shop charged me and An ... the Avatar to get the potion back as the price for wrecking her shop. " He does his best to but a scowl on his face and cross his arms, but it looks forced. "For some reason she thought we were together."

--

Katara looks from Zuko to Aang then back at Zuko. She sighs as she has a seat on a rock that Toph had bended around the campfire the night before. "All right. I guess we should help as Aang also caused the incident at the shop."  
She looks up at Zuko with steady eyes for the first time since he showed up in their clearing. "So what did these thieves look like?"

--

Aang lets out relived sigh as he too takes a seat around the camp fire. "Well there were two of them. One was really tall with black hair and a goatee. I think the other one called him Jeppi. The other was a shorter but stockier with light brown hair and he has a scar running across his nose. I had caught up with them but they managed to get away from me about ... fifteen minuets ago, right about the time we heard you scream. …….um ... you didn't happen to see them did you?"

--

As Zuko describes the two thieves, Katara realizes they were the one who knocked her over. Once he finishes she nods her head. " yes they ran into me, I guess as they were running away from you." 

She thinks for a moment and then points "I think they went that way. We should be able to catch up to them on Appa."

--

Zuko rolled his eyes at Aang's interpretation of himself. Crossing his own arms, he stared at the fake scowl on his bodies face. He looked over at Katara, wondering if she had noticed the odd behavior. She couldn't help _but_ notice it, as far as Zuko was concerned.

He didn't find the story of needing the Avatar so he could pay his share of the mess very convincing at all. He could only hope Katara wouldn't ask any questions until after they had switched bodies again. _It's like he's trying to make me look ridiculous._ Zuko thought, as he watched Aang speak to Katara. 

It was obvious he liked her. Very obvious. Zuko scowled. _He is trying. Well two can play that game._ He smirked at Aang when Katara wasn't looking.

"Well, we _could_ take Appa, I guess..." He trailed off, in a tone suggesting he would rather walk on a dozen porcupigs backs than fly on Appa. "Yeah, that would be a good idea Katara". He smiled fakely.

--

Katara smiles at Aang then looks over at Zuko." Well if it's alright with you that is. " She couldn't help but blush very faintly as she addressed Zuko, half from embarrassment and half from thinking back to what happened in the crystal caves.

--

Aang frowns at Zuko's smirk and clenches his fists again. When Katara turns to him he doesn't look at her as he tries his best to look like he didn't care. "That does seem the fastest way. "

He gets up and starts walking in the direction that they had left Appa in. Then remembers he's not supposed to know.  
"Um ... where is he?"

--

Katara gets up and then offers Aang her hand, for she wants to keep him close to her and away from Zuko, purposely putting herself between the two boys. "This way." 

They walk towards the stream then over to a rock formation that Toph had once again provided for Appa as it had rained the night before. She goes over and rubs his head "Are you up for a little trip?" The animal grunts at her in approval before turning his attention to Aang and Zuko.

--

Zuko couldn't help but snicker at Aang as he almost gave away where the bison would be, but he quickly coughed to cover it up, and put a sober expression on his face, for Katara's benefit. "Sure, Katara. It's fine." He sighed, and allowed her to lead the way, hanging back just a little to glance at the Avatar's heated expression, until Katara got in between them, almost as if she knew they were fighting.

He noticed her blush at the proximity between herself and Aang, and felt jealous for an instant, until he remembered it wasn't _Aang_ she was blushing for. He smiled again, regaining his cool, before he saw the bison... For the first time so closely in a semi-peaceful circumstance. _Wow it's big._

Zuko didn't dare go near Appa at first, remembering his encounter with it at that nunnery. It wasn't exactly the friendliest of beasts to him.  
--

Katara stared at Aang as though he had grown a third leg, standing there so tensely.

--

Aang gives Zuko a mincing look before approaching Appa. "Hey boy. You don't mind if I ride you. " Appa leans over and sniffs Aang for a moment then licks him. Aang lets out a small laugh. "I think he likes me." 

He gives a hand to Katara to help her get up on Appa, before realizing that he's not himself again. He quickly takes it away and covers up the mistake with a cough. "Well we should hurry there's no telling how far they have gotten." With that he climbs up into the saddle.

--

Zuko watched Aang talk to Katara and felt his jealousy heat up. Deciding he couldn't be shown up in front of Katara he walked over to Appa, determined. "Hey, Boy". He imitated Aang, a little awkwardly, and he placed a hand on Appa's head. Appa roared right in his face.

Zuko couldn't tell if it was friendly, or if it was a warning. He shuddered, unsure of how to react next to the bison, until he heard a small chuckle, from Aang's direction. He glared up at him, as his face went red.

--

Katara was about to take Zuko's hand when she hears Appa roar. She turns to look what he is so upset about, and sees him watching Aang intently. She puts her hands on her hips and chides the bison." Appa! What are you doing?! Just because Aang hasn't been feeling well doesn't make him any less Aang."

The bison gave her a look of, I know who Aang is and its no him. But Katara couldn't read his expression. "Well if you are taking Zuko you are going to take Aang too. " She walks over to Aang and shakes her head. "I don't know what's gotten into him. Here let me help you up. You shouldn't strain yourself or your wound might open back up."

--

Katara didn't know how to decipher Appa's expression, but Zuko was fairly sure he knew what it meant anyway. After all, Appa was Aang's spirit guide, of course he would know the difference between their souls.He looked at Katara as she chided Appa, and noticed the smirk wiped off of Aangs face,.. or rather _his_ face as she gently took a hold of his arm to help him up.

Zuko blushed speechless, as she put her arm around him. "Uh, thanks Katara." He squeaked, as he took a hold of her to steady himself getting on the bison. Distracted as he was by trying to climb aboard the disgruntled bison, he couldn't have seen Aang's angry jealous expression as Katara carefully helped him up.

--

Once Katara had helped Aang up onto Appa she grabs a hold of his reigns. "Yip yip." Appa takes to the skies and she steers him in the direction that she had last seen the two men run off in. She calls over her shoulder. "You two keep a look out, and let me know when you find them."

--

Aang glares at Zuko for a full minuet before he realizes what Katara had asked them to do, grumbling under his breath he looks over the edge of the saddle searching the breaks between the trees.

They fly for about ten minuets before he spots them trying to cross the creak. He points them out "There they are."

--

Zuko might have done what Katara asked, had he not been clutching the saddle so tightly his hands ached. _Do they always fly this high?_ He gulped as he shut his eyes, not even caring that Aang was glaring at him. He just wanted to stay on at the moment.

"Katara! Could we fly a little lower?" Zuko shouted just before Aang said he had spotted them. He looked over at Aang long enough to see his smug expression. Zuko glared daggers at him, but didn't have the stomach to do anything back at the moment.

--

Katara looks back at Aang as he asks to fly lower, and frowns, _maybe he's got a stomach virus or something. _Then she hears Zuko exclaim that he found them. "Alright hang on, I'll bring him down. It looks like we will land right next to them."

She snaps the reins and Appa starts his decent. She can here the shorter mans panicked yelp as he sees the giant bison closing in on them. "Jeppi we have better get out of here now!" 

Jeppi looks up and sees Appa then takes off in a sprint., shortly followed by the other man.

Appa lands with his back to the two men and whips his tale sending a great wave of air and water towards the two men causing them to stumble and then fall.

--

As soon as Appa landed, Aang jumps from the saddle and runs over to the men. Miraculously he doesn't trip or stumble on the way. "Well I guess you've never seen a two ton Bison before. I suggest you hand over what you took or we'll sick him on you. "

Appa grunts his wiliness to help his master out making the men almost shake. Akito reaches into his pocket and throws it at Aang. "Here just take it."

The package flies over Aang's head and he watches it with panic on his face. If it breaks then he will be stuck in Zuko's body for ever, and worse Zuko will continue to be by Katara's side.

He tries to dive for it but he's too far away from it.

--

Zuko watched in what seemed like slow motion as Aang misses the bottle. It was thrown way too high, and way too far. Even with the advantage of height he couldn't get it. Zuko let go of the saddle and jumped off from Appa without even considering where he might land.

_No! Don't fall don't break! No!_ Zuko dived for it, and just barely caught the bottle as he crashed on top of Aang. "I got it!" He groaned, clutching the bottle tightly in his hands. 

Zuko had completely forgotten Katara was there, watching them in their desperation to reach the potion, and when he looked up at her confused face, he was sure they had blown their cover. _Oh no..._

--

Katara watches in disbelief as Aang dives for the potion and then falls onto Zuko. A look of confusion passes over her face, but it is quickly replaced by laughter. Zuko was sprawled out halfway in the water and the rest on the bank covered in mud. Aang hadn't faired any better. He was also soaking wet and covered head to toe in mud.

She was laughing so hard that she forgot the two thieves who had taken the opportunity to disappear into the woods.

--

Aang finds Katara's laughter contagious and also starts to chuckle. If you thought about it the situation _was_ kind of hilarious. Then the pain of Zuko falling on top of him started to settle in, he let out a grown. "Do you think you could let me up now?"

Zuko quickly jumps up and Aang gets to his feet in the process whispering to him, "We have to get away from her so that we can change back. She doesn't trust Zuko, so you will have to be the one to tell her".

--

Zuko held his stomach, he had fallen pretty hard on top of Aang, and that "wound" Katara had mentioned earlier did seem to be sensitive to ten foot falls from a bison's back. He didn't join in the laughter Katara and Aang shared.

Instead he groaned and whispered as Katara's laughter started to die down. "Right right, I know that already. I_ know _have to do everything". He hissed at Aang. Zuko's pain was somehow easier to take, snapping at his rival.

He stood up straight and cleared his throat to get Katara's attention, nonetheless. "Well, it seems we've recovered what you came here for, Zuko." Zuko tried to ignore the muddy water running down his back as he spoke.  
"I think it's time you were on your way then." He pushed Aang to urge him along into the woods.

--

Aang felt himself being pushed into the woods. He took the hint and disappears into the woods at a brisk walk. When they have gone out of Katara's sight he turns around. "Quick pore the potion over our heads as we stand together. It won't take long for her to come after us."

--

Zuko nodded and looked at the strange bottle's contents. There was barely any in there. He frowned.  
"How much do we need? Oh this had better work! " He said in a panicked hush, twisting the cap off and pouring it quickly from the top of his head, then getting Aang to bend down so he could pour some on his.

_C'mon, stupid potion, work- _A veil of smoke slowly encircled Aang and Zuko once again, as Zuko felt himself becoming dizzy and fell unconscious.

--

Aang felt the familiar lightheadedness, but this time he was prepared for it. He controlled his breathing just like he does to enter the Avatar state and manages to stay conscious during the switch.

Once the feeling of dizziness subsides he looks down at his hands to find the familiar blue tattoos. "Yes!" He jumps five feet into the air before landing again. Then he looks down at Zuko. A mixture of resentment, jealously, and thanks fill him. His good nature won out and he kneels down next to Zuko and shakes him awake gently. "Zuko?"

--

Katara watches as Aang pushes Zuko confused. Then her confusion turns to worry when Aang disappears with him. "Hey! " She jumps off Appa and makes to follow them but Appa brings a paw down on her. "Appa! get off me. I've got to go help Aang. "

The bison considers her a moment then sniffs the air. Satisfied at what he finds he lets Katara go. She walks into the woods looking over her shoulder at Appa trying to figure out his odd behavior. Then she shakes her head. _I'll deal with that after I've got Aang back _

Katara doesn't take more then ten steps into the woods before she finds Aang kneeling next to Zuko and trying to wake him. She immediately goes over to them both and asks "What happened?"

--

Zuko groaned, suddenly feeling extremely sore from he can't remember what. "What happened?...Katara?" He looks up at her, not yet realizing he's back in his own body. "Ugh, I feel like I've been hit by a bison". He felt his head, and sure enough, the familiar feel of hair.  
"I-I'm back! " Zuko looked at his hands and sat up looking over at Aang. Sure enough, it was.. Aang. He cringed at the sight of the body he had just been in. _Well that was an odd experience._

Zuko looked over, and caught Katara staring at him strangely, her cheeks tinted red with a blush. He smirked knowing it was for him now. Lowering his voice to similar tone from the night he had taken her hostage, he couldn't help himself now from greeting her properly in his own body. "Hello to you too, Katara."

--

Katara blushes as Zuko says her name ... she didn't even think he knew it. But her expression is quickly replaced by worry. "Lay back down, I think you might have hit your head." She gently pushes him down over Aang's protests. She looks over at him." I'm not going to leave him here if he's got head trauma. It will just take me a moment to look then we can be on our way"

She reaches for Zuko's head missing the glare of loathing Aang shoots Zuko.

--

Zuko blushed as Katara pushed him down, gently, and yet oh so firmly. "I'm fine, really! I just bumped my head!" Yet Katara ignored all his protests, and simply bended a snake of water over for healing.  
Eventually Zuko stopped struggling against it and decided to let her have her way, not that he wasn't enjoying it. 

Not that it didn't feel good to be in his own body and still enjoying all of Katara's attention. He tried very hard to conceal a smile and his blush as Katara examined his head. "Um, thanks for helping me". He muttered, as she was feeling his head for bumps. It came out sounding surprisingly shy.

He had completely forgotten about Aang, even as he stood there, arms crossed, watching. Simmering.  
But it didn't matter, Zuko was enjoying himself.

--

Aang could feel his anger rising. He starts to recite a chant he had learned as a monk, but found that it didn't help the situation much. Finally he decided that what he needed to do was to get Katara away from the prince. Once she was back in the camp with everyone else she would quickly forget him. .. or so he hoped.

He coughs and says in a calm voice trying to conceal his jealously. "Now he is fine, and we should be getting back to camp. I'm sure Zuko can deliver the potion back to the shop, besides we have to move while there is still enough sun to see by. "

Zuko shot the monk a glare and Aang gives him a smirk in return.

--

Katara sighs as looks at Zuko one last time before getting to her feet. "I guess you are right Aang. We should be going... but will he be able to find his way back to the village? "

She blinks in surprise at her own question. She hadn't meant to say that. _Of course Zuko would be able to find his way back. After all his tracking skills had hunted them down all over the world. Getting back to one small village that was a walk down the creak back to were their base camp currently was then taking the path back wouldn't be to hard_. 

She turns her back to the prince and starts towards Appa.

--

Zuko watches Katara get up, feeling suddenly blank. He was just starting to enjoy himself, and yet it's not like he could've expected anything different. But he felt he wasn't ready to part with her, not yet. Not when he might never see her again on these terms. He sat up quickly as she turned to leave, panic gripping him.

"Katara!" He didn't know what he was going to say next, as she turned to face him his mind went blank. "Keep dreaming. "

Zuko had no idea why he said that. He felt his face pale as he realized he might have given what happened away.  
A few seconds of awkward silence passed before he couldn't bear it anymore, and he turned to leave as a blush crept up to his face.

_I'll let the Avatar explain that one._ Zuko felt his face turn into a smile. He ran as fast as he could back towards the village through the woods.

--

Aang watches Zuko leave then turns to Katara. "Keep dreaming? What did he mean?"

Katara shakes herself out of the bit of shock she had been feeling and starts back to Appa." I have no idea." She seems lost in thought then shakes her head. "Let's get back to the others."

Aang gives Katara a worried glance then looks back at the direction that Zuko had fled. _I am going to have to keep an eye on him. Katara's got to big of a heart ... and I don't want to see her get hurt again. _He hears Katara call him and yells "Coming." Then runs and jumps up on Appa, not remembering the pain in his back, and almost fails but makes it.

Katara gives him a concerned look. Aang rubs the back of his head," I think I'll just need some rest once we find a new camp. Nothing to be worried about."

Katara gives him a skeptic cock of the head, but chalks it up to the weirdness of the day, then yells "yip yip."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Well that takes care of chapter two. Please leave reviews to tell us how ya like it . And don't worry there will be another chapter, Zuko still has to fulfill Katara's dream after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry it took so long to update ya'll. But I had to wait for the roleplayers to get to a point that would make a decent chapter break.

As before I don't own Avatar or this story. The story belongs to and Avatar belongs to Nick.

Enjoy and review.

ZKZKZK

Toph, Sokka, and Keui were waiting for them when they get back to camp. Katara and Aang briefly explain that Zuko had been in the village, but didn't mention that he had been at the camp.

Sokka had gone on a venting rage which both Aang and Katara had expected. Toph had cut it short buy sinking him into the earth. After Sokka had finally calmed down and Toph had graciously agreed to get him back out, they had packed up camp.

After about a half hour of flying they had reestablished base camp, far enough away that they didn't believe Zuko would be able to find them.

It didn't take long after dinner for everyone to settle in for the night, well everyone except Katara. She couldn't stop thinking about what Zuko had said to her before he had taken off.

_How did he know I've been dreaming? Was he eavesdropping when I had told Aang about my dream? But then why didn't he come out the?_

She sighs, her thoughts just kept going in circles she needed something to take her mind off it. She gets up and starts to walk out of camp.

There was a small yet deep pond where she had gotten water for dinner earlier, going for a swim and practicing her bending would help to calm her thought. And it was far enough away that she wouldn't wake her sleeping friends.

Once she got to the pond she takes off her outer robe and folds it neatly before setting it on a rock near the waters edge. Then she wades in feeling the cool water all around her. After taking a deep breath she dives in, immersing herself fully in her element.

---

Zuko ran through the forest until his lungs ached for air, and his legs burned with exhaustion. He stopped to catch his breath halfway to the village. 

Zuko knew what Aang would do. He knew the Avatar would move their camp as soon as they found their friends to evade him. He muttered and scowled at the thought of Aang packing Katara away on Appa.

Then he ran faster. He had to be fast, and careful. He knew he had to catch them again before the next day, when they would probably move even farther, and faster. And then he would have barely a hope of carrying out his plan.

Zuko wasted no time allowing Azula or anyone else to see him sneak back to his room, where he changed into his black garments usually reserved for the_ Blue Spirits_ tasks, and snuck back out again.

_Why am I even doing this?,_ was Zuko's constant thought, as he ran back into the woods after the Avatar's campsite. But it didn't stop him, until he had reached his destination, finding them gone, as he knew they would be.

Zuko sighed and stopped by the log he and Katara had talked on only a few hours before.  
_Too late. Gone._ He sighed heavily, thinking he had lost them, _again_.

...But there was smoke on the horizon, and the faint smell of burning seal jerky.  
Quite a pungent smell. Zuko grinned, thinking how many times he had tracked the Avatar through the potent smells of Sokka's late night snacks.

He reached their new campsite by midnight, and stopped to catch his breath, some yards away from the edge of the clearing. 

_This will be all too easy._ Zuko snuck around the campsite in the flowered foliage of the trees, to evade detection from the Earth bender. From his vantage point, he could see all of them sleeping soundly below. Save one Water bender.

Zuko carefully climbed down from the tree he was in, pulling flowers off as he went.  
_She must be around here somewhere..._ Before Zuko knew it, he had stumbled upon a deep pond, glistening in the moonlight.

And there was something in the water. Or rather, someone. Zuko realized it was Katara, and smirked. _Just my luck._

He threw a rock into the water to get her attention, staying just behind where the strong light of the moon could reach his face.

---

Katara was enjoying her world under the water. Whenever she needed to breath she just bended an air bubble down, and took a big gulp of air.

It had been a long time since she had felt so free. There was nothing for her to do here except enjoy the moon light trickling though the water and the marine life teaming around her.

Towards the bottom of the pond she notices something reflecting the moon light. She swims closer to it, making sure to bend her self an air bubble.

Her air bubble arrives by the time she's made her way down. She takes another lung full of air and sets to the task of trying to figure out what had made the glint.

She sees what looks like a corner of something poking out of the sand. She uses her hands to brush it away and finds herself looking at her own reflection. It was an old wall mirror; you could see were the silver had flaked off the back causing black spots in her reflection.

_I wonder how long this has been here ... _Just as she was about to explore that though more something disturbed her peace. She looks around to find the intruder, only to see a good sized rock slipping silently though the water. _That's odd... it couldn't have been knocked in here accidentally ... That means there is some one up there.__  
_  
Katara quickly makes an accent thinking it must be one of her friends. She breaks the surface of the water quickly but elegantly as only a water bender could, then makes her way to the edge of the pond.

She looks around for either Aang, Sokka, or Toph ... but sees no one. "That's odd I could have sworn ..." Her voice trails off as her mindset of being free is slowly replaced by the one she has lived with for the past six months.

---

As he watched Katara rise from the water, Zuko felt his grip on the flowers he still held tighten. This was the moment he had been waiting for. The reason why he had gone to all the trouble to find them again so quickly and yet now that he was here, he had no idea what to do next.

_What do I do now? There's no way I can get out of here without her seeing who I am,.. And what's to say she won't scream for help, I mean I did throw a rock at her! Why did I throw a rock? That was so stupid. She probably thinks I'm going to attack her. Arrgh this is hopeless!_

Zuko turned to step back, his nerves getting the best of him, his feet crunched on the gravel and he knew she couldn't have missed spotting him. He stared back at the water bender, turning hesitantly back to face her.

--

Katara hears the crushing of gravel underfoot and turns to see a figure near the tree line. "Who are you?" She calls out, uncertain if he is friend or foe. Just as she says the words she feels the oddest sense of deja vu but marks it down to the stress of the day.

--

Zuko stared at Katara, not knowing when or if he would ever see her again, not like this.  
She had been so kind to him, even after what he had done. He knew he needed to see her one last time, and he had.

"Goodbye Katara." He whispered, not expecting her to hear. He dropped the flowers and ran off into the woods.

_We'll meet again._ He kept that thought with him, all the way back. He would never forget this day.

---

Katara watches as the figure turns and runs. "Wait!" She hurries to the place she had just seen him. There on the ground she finds a bouquet of flowers.

She hesitates for a moment looking down at the flowers, and then quickly picks them up. "Who ... "

She looks back in the direction where the camp was. Should she go back and tell them someone what here? ... _... but he brought me flowers ... _

She makes her decision and starts to run after the figure, hoping it wasn't too late. After a few minuets she spots him ahead of her. "Wait! Please"

---

Zuko wasn't surprised to hear Katara chase him, in fact he expected it. But what he didn't expect to happen was for his knees to lock and somehow force him to stop running away, against his better judgment.

Zuko stayed where he was, when Katara said please. But he had no idea what would happen next.

---

Katara saw the figure in front of her stop. She hadn't' been expecting him to actual stop when she asked.

Cautiously she approaches him shivering from the cold. Her chase through the woods had been so unexpected that she had forgotten to bend the water out of her cloths and hair. Now the wind was adding its attempt at making her cold by blowing against her damp skin.

Not knowing quite what to say and feeling rather stupid for chasing him, she stammers "Thanks for the flowers."

---

Zuko's palms were sweating, and he could barely remember giving her flowers with his heart beating so rapidly and loud. He hardly dared to look up at Katara, let alone turn around to face her.

"You're welcome." He mumbled over his shoulder, unsure at this point whether allowing his identity to be seen was a good idea or not. He stayed with his back turned to her.

---

Katara blushes when he speaks. There is something familiar about his voice but she can't quiet place it. She shakes her head trying to clear it from the cobwebs that seem to be forming there while she is in this mysterious man's presence.

She takes another step closer to him and reaches out a hand, "Um ... why did you give me flowers?... well not that I didn't think they weren't nice ... I mean beautiful ... and ... "

She finds her self nervously stumbling over her words and trails off waiting for the strangers reaction. For some reason she felt that what ever he would say next would affect the rest of her life.

---

Zuko was growing increasingly nervous about this. He had no idea how she would react when or _if_ she found out whom her knight in shining armor really was.

"Flowers? Oh uh, I didn't really notice. I didn't mean to, uh.. I mean Flowers are overrated, and.. I just left them there because-- I hate flowers! I didn't mean to give them to you. Sorry."

Zuko's heart hammered in his head as he heard the tumult of idiotic words that poured from his mouth, with what seemed a never ending supply. He felt like he had to get away, and now.

_What? "I didn't mean to give them to you"??! Then what did I come out all the way here for??_ Zuko internally screamed at himself, slowly turning to see Katara's reaction to his own stupidity. He couldn't help himself, but he really should have kept running.

---

The blush faded from her face as the hopeful nervousness is quickly replaced by one of rage. "What! You didn't mean to give... "

Katara let out a growl of rage and reaches behind her for her water skin only to grasp at open air. Of course she didn't have it on her. It was back at the pond along with the rest of her cloths.

If she had been thinking more clearly she would have just left the man here and gone back. Then she would have woken up the camp and made them move.

But as it was she wasn't thinking clearly. This was probably why instead of turning around and going back in a quite rage instead she grabs the man's shoulders and spins him to face her.

"What do you think you are doing? You watch me take a swim with flowers in your hand. Then when I come out at what I can only guess is because you made me ... you take off in a run."

"Then you say you didn't even mean to give me the ... " Katara's rage is increased as she notices that he refuses to look at her while she's lecturing him "Look at me when I'm talking to you!!!"

---

Zuko stared hard at the ground, hiding his face, still hoping he could still somehow get away from the enraged Water bender, unscathed and unrecognized. After all the trouble he had gone through to get here, to see _her_ it still wasn't enough. He _still_ messed it up.

Unable to stand it anymore, Zuko grabbed Katara's wrists and looked her straight in the eye. "I'm sorry, alright? It was a bad idea to come here, and I'm sorry! I don't know  
what I was thinking, but if makes you feel any better; I don't intend to _ever_ do this again!"

Zuko stared at Katara as she gaped at him, shocked. He had blown his cover. There was no going back now.

---

Katara tries to pull away as her wrist is grabbed. Things definitely weren't turning out like she had expected. But then again what had she expected? This stranger to tell her of his undying love for her?

When he finally chose to look at her all she could do was gasp. All thoughts had flown out the window when it was reviled that the stranger was Zuko. Yet somewhere in the back of her mind was a voice saying _We were hoping it was him _

Finally after what felt like hours though in truth was only a little more then a minuet she spoke. "Zuko? ... You brought me flowers?" Her confusion was mixed with anger. "And why wouldn't you ever do this again? Am I that horrible that you go and buy me something only to wish you hadn't?"

Katara seems shocked by the words that tumbled out of her mouth. _That hadn't been what I meant to say? Didn't I want to ask him what he was doing here in the first place?_... "Maybe this is all a dream and I'll wake up in my sleeping bag and everything will be back to normal. yes that must be it this is a dream."

She didn't realize that she had just said the last of her thoughts out loud.

---

Zuko didn't let Katara go, on the contrary, he kept a firm grip on her wrists as she talked, afraid she would run away to wake the Avatar.

He was also feeling stupid as she talked about the flowers, and he wasn't sure how she would take it if he told her he hadn't bought them at all, but he really didn't think that would be the right thing to say, given the situation, so he just let her rant on as he mentally cursed himself for being so hasty. _Why did I have to say that? "I hate flowers" Stupid!_

He was a little surprised by Katara's last statement. She obviously didn't mean to say that out loud and somehow it was very amusing, he found himself smirking down at her.  
"Should I assume you dream of this often then? What else should happen if this is a dream?"

He really shouldn't be provoking her, but again, he couldn't help himself. He pulled her closer unconsciously.

---

Katara finds herself pulled gently towards Zuko as he smirks down at her. Her temperature starts to rise until she swears her whole face must be beat red, and her heart starts to pound faster in her chest.

"um ... I said that out loud huh?" She hardly recognized her own voice as it trembled with nervousness. Somehow she felt her cheeks grow even warmer, and licks her lips trying to think of what else to say. "um ... well I always wake up about now. "

Katara's eyes widened as she realizes that she just confirmed to Zuko that she dreams of exactly this. She can see his smirk widening, and she mentally chides herself for letting that slip. She tries to think of something quick.

".. but thefigureisneveryou." She says in one breath. As the words leave her mouth she realizes that it is actually Zuko that appears in her dreams. She just never let herself considered that the figure in her dreams could be Zuko.

She's so surprised by this that she attempts to look away from him, so that he wouldn't be able to see the truth in her eyes.

---

Of all the things he thought Katara might say, Zuko wasn't expecting her to say _that_  
_"But the figure was never you"_ ... What did that even mean?

Zuko frowned slightly and let go of her trembling wrists. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this isn't a dream, and it is me". He said coldly, bending slightly to try and read Katara's expression.

"After I leave you can climb into your sleeping bag, fall asleep and forget that any of this ever happened." He whispered down to her.

---

Katara looks up at Zuko as his voice cools, her blush quickly leaves her face. _good going now you've mad him mad... again. _

She bits her lip and looks him straight into his eyes. "Sorry that...". She sighs then looks away again. "I shouldn't have lied ..."

Then she whispers more to herself to hear herself say it once, but loud enough that with Zuko being so close he might be able to hear it. "The truth is... it's always you". Her cheeks color slightly at her admission.

ZKZKZK

Aang wakes up sometime after the high moon (aka midnight). He had found himself needing a cup of water.

Sleepily he gets up and walks over to the bags passing Katara's and Sokka's sleeping bags. His mind is still rather fuzzy from sleep. Once he reaches the bags he pulls out his water skin.

After taking a drink he feels more awake. True he still needed to sleep more, but at least he didn't feel the exhaustion of the day anymore.

On his way back to Appa he notices Katara's bag is empty. At first he blinks a few times thinking that she must be there he's just not seeing it. But after a twenty blinks she's still not there.

His heart starts to speed up. _Where is she? Is she in trouble? ... What if Azula ... or Zuko found her? _He starts pacing back and forth, _what should I do? Should I wake up Sokka? _No he decided. He knew that Katara often liked to practice her water bending under the moon.

_No need to worry Sokka ... she's probably just practicing. _He goes back to Appa and tries to go back to sleep. But images of Katara in trouble keep going through his mind.

Aang gets up and heads towards the pond. He figures that is where he'll find her.  
_I'll just go and check on her to make sure she's ok. That way I'll be able to sleep_.

ZKZKZK

Now it was Zuko's turn to blush as Katara told him the truth. He was speechless as he looked down at Katara; this had been an eventful day, to put it mildly.

And there was nothing mild about it. Zuko looked to the side, blushing furiously.  
"And I was lying too. I didn't really... I don't hate flowers." He still wasn't ready to admit he hadn't bought them, she'd probably figure that out sooner or later.

"Katara, I... The truth is, I came here tonight to... Well, but-- You're shivering." He didn't really know what he was saying, but he finally noticed she was still wet from the pond. The evening breeze wasn't exactly cold, but it was only the beginning of summer after all.

The swirling emotions were starting to make Zuko lose his cool, that and the heated blush he felt covering his entire body.

---

Katara could feel her heat beat so fast that she thought it would burst through her chest. She unconsciously leans closer to him as he tells her about the flowers. But her trance was interrupted by his sudden notice of her shivering. In fact she had forgotten about it as well.

She quickly wraps her arms wound herself and turns away from Zuko her face bright red. She was in her _skivvies_ in front of Zuko,... and she had practically just told him he was the man of her dreams.

She does her best to keep her voice from cracking as she speaks "I ... wanted to thank you... um ... I guess I didn't stop to think about drying off." She thinks about water bending herself dry but that would mean moving her arms ... and she was too embarrassed at the moment to do that.

---

Zuko stood speechlessly as Katara actually moved closer to him. He had no idea what to do, but he could tell she was freezing. He hesitantly stands behind her and takes both her hands in one of his own. Then he uses. fire bending to warm them.

"Does that help?." She really was cold. Yeah, that was a good excuse. _I can't just let her freeze._ Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that wasn't the only reason why he was doing this.

---

Katara blushes even more when Zuko takes both of her hands. She can feel them warming up. But the difference in her body temperature every where else makes her shiver.

She leans into him to get warmer unaware of the awkwardness of this situation. She looks up at him "Thanks ... it is a little cold."

ZKZKZK

Aang made his way to the pond with out much trouble. When he got there it was empty and quiet except for the chirping of some crickets. He looks around for Katara but doesn't find her, but he does spot her cloths. "Where would she go without her cloths?...  
what if she ran into trouble?"

He starts to scan the woods for some sign of disturbance. Finally he sees a spot that looks trampled. Concerned he starts to follow it.

He wants to run ... but knows that he'll lose the element of surprise. So instead he jumps into the trees and follows the path from there. It would allow him to go faster an unnoticed.

When he comes to the end of the trail all he can do is stare. _Zuko ... with Katara? _He just couldn't wrap his mind around what was happing. So he just sat there with his jaw open watching the two.

ZKZKZK

Zuko just stood there shocked and tense as Katara leaned up against him. "Sure, glad to help." He barely managed to whisper; Zuko seemed to have lost his breath. And thanks to his heated blush, he had more then enough heat to share.

_She's just trying to get warm, no need to make this anymore then it is. _Zuko slowly puts his arms around Katara. Of all the things that he Zuko could have imagined happening today, this was probably the least likely, and yet here they were. And it felt right.

"Katara,... I think that I..." Zuko found himself inching closer to her upturned face.

---

Katara could hear Zuko's heart beating as her ear was only centimeters away. She was sure that hers was also loud enough for him to here.

She looks up at him, hoping, but not knowing what would come next. "yes .. Zuko?" She whispers so softly the words themselves are like a kiss on the wind.

---

Taking in this moment with Katara in his arms, Zuko stared at her wishing, wishing once again, for impossible things. But still...

Zuko couldn't find the words to say what he felt. So he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and leaned in for a kiss.

ZKZKZK

Aang couldn't believe what he was seeing. At fist Zuko and Katara were just standing there. Then Katara had actually leaned into Zuko. _He's the enemy! _

But what happened next was in his opinion way way worse. Zuko was going to kiss her. And it didn't look like Katara was going to object. _This can't be happening. _He screamed in his head as he watched the two would be lovers.

_I've got to stop them... Katara's been brainwashed... that's the only reason she would be so close to him... it must have been something he did to her while he was in my body!... yes that has to be it! "_Don't worry Katara I'll save you!" he whispers as he starts to gather up the air around him.

As much as he wants to step out from the trees and confront Zuko right then and there, something tells him that that would be a bad idea. So instead he decided that he would separate them with air bending.

He gathers up the air ready to let it go... but his emotions weren't as balanced as he usually was. Yes when he was in the avatar state he could draw on the anger and his past lives to make himself more powerful.

But when not in the avatar state anger actually made his bending weaker and less precise.  
Thus the column of air he meant to separate Zuko and Katara instead turned into just a strong gust of wind.

It was strong enough to bend a few saplings and send twigs that were on the ground towards the embracing couple. Even though he was hopping for more, he smirks as he sees Katara start to pull away from Zuko.

ZKZKZK

Katara closes her eyes as she feels more then sees Zuko leaning down to kiss her. _He's going to kiss me ... He's going to kiss me _was all her confused mind could manage to spit out at her.

She could feel his breath on her lips and just as she was about to receive her very first kiss she felt her hair suddenly whip around them.

Then a few objects started to hit her. She pulls away from Zuko and attempts to move her hair out of her own face. "What in the world.." Her next words are lost to the wind as it picks up a bit before dieing down into the usual gentle night breeze.

She tries to push back her hair which is now entangled with both leaves and twigs. One by one she does her best to try to pull them out.

As she is going about freeing her hair she looks over at Zuko and says "Well that was certainly unexpected. I didn't think it was supposed to storm tonight."

She looks up into the night sky and sees a few rain clouds then turns back to Zuko. "...um .. if a storm is coming ... I should go." She blushes and shuffles her feet not really wanting to leave ... but knowing she probably should.

Besides some one might notice that she was missing.

---

Zuko felt the wind whip into his face, and every muscle in his body tensed. Somehow, he knew _exactly_ what had started the sudden gust of wind. He resisted the urge to glare in Aang's direction, and instead looked down at Katara, and took both her hands in his own.

"Yes, you should go back. I should be going as well." He raised her hands and kissed them, looking over her fingers into her eyes. "Take care of yourself, Katara." He gave her his trademark smirk, then turned away walking into the dark of night.

---

Katara blushes as Zuko kisses her hands, no one had ever done that before either. She knew that it was more of a courtly gesture, but somehow she knew that for them both it was so much more then that.

She watches him go, not knowing what to do or say then suddenly she takes a step forward and yells out. "Thanks again for the flowers,.. I really like them."

She could swear she saw him turn in the dark and the white of his good eye smiled back at her. She blushes again and reaches down for the flowers that had been dropped to the ground some point earlier.

She sticks her nose in them and takes a sniff. "Much better then a dream" she whispers to herself.

She starts walking back to the pond absentmindedly pulling debris out of her hair and trying to wrap her mind around everything that had happened this day. Finally with so many thoughts and emotions swimming in her head she decides the best thing to do was to sleep. There would be plenty of time to think about it tomorrow.

ZKZKZK

I hope ya guys enjoyed this chapter. I made a few changes to the original posts to make them flow a bit better.

Oh and there will be one more chapter. Hehe Aang is confronting Zuko. XD should be fun.


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